Foxes find winning formula

Leicestershire claimed their second Twenty20 title in three attempts with a derby victory over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Jeremy Snape's side held their nerve as the rain teemed down in the final stages to defeat their east midlands rivals by four runs on their own turf.

Needing 17 off the final over, following a typical squeeze by the Foxes, Nottinghamshire lost two wickets and fell agonisingly short.

Leicestershire celebrations arrived before Jim Allenby's final ball, which was nevertheless hit for six by Will Smith as the home team closed on 173 for eight. The more crucial blows into the deep during the over, from Paul Franks and Gareth Clough, landed in the safe hands of Darren Maddy.

Nottinghamshire appeared to be cruising to victory when Antipodean duo Stephen Fleming and David Hussey combined in a 57-run stand for the second wicket.

Fleming played a captain's innings to register 50 off 34 balls while Hussey played with the same pomp on display in his 42 against Surrey, when he cleared the boundary on four occasions.

This time he did so just once - a towering strike off Maddy's medium pace - in an innings of 37 which spanned only 23 balls.

Both batsmen succumbed in consecutive overs, however, as Fleming slapped a full toss from Snape to fine leg and Hussey drilled England Test hopeful Stuart Broad, impressive throughout, straight to short extra-cover.

When current Test wicketkeeper Chris Read, who lost a tooth while standing up to the stumps in the semi-final, fell for a single-figure score, the hosts were 122 for four and losing their way.